Talk:Character Names, Titles, Typing Quirks, etc./@comment-68.44.100.218-20111204052105
I think it would be a little odd and overdone if all of the characters have different dialects... like for example Equius with samurai dialect. He doesn't talk that formally. For example: CT: D --> 100k CT: D --> What are you e%pecting to accomplish with this and CT: D --> This is f001ishness upon one hundred thousand prior, equally unsolicited f001ishnesses CT: D --> You'll stop now and even CT: D --> Yuck CT: D --> Don't pol100t my incoming data stream with his name, or any sort of e%cremental language you pick up from his ilk He isn't really being formal- I mean he says "yuck" and uses contractions sometimes and things. What makes him seem formal is that he gets sort of technical. Like instead of saying "don't pollute this chat with his name" or something, he uses "incoming data stream". Basically occasionally he uses more complicated words or technical phrases than people usually do and avoids curse words, while otherwise largely speaking casually. It's a typing style that (minus 100 and % related typing quirks) I wouldn't be surprised to see on the internet. But if I saw unironic samurai dialect on the internet (even on Japanese forums), that would be a big "WTF" causer. Nobody's art-thou-ing in Homestuck, let's say. (Yet. :P) So uh to summarize (watch this be longer than the non-summary), I am concerned about the way the speaking styles are being chosen. Rather than thinking "Hm, this person (or troll I guess) speaks formally, what is a formal speaking style in Japanese?" it'd probably be more effective to think "What speaking style will cause Japanese readers to make the same connections English readers did?" I'm guessing most of us have heard real people and modern stereotypical characters that speak/type in the same way as the characters in Homestuck. Like I have seen a lot of real people in real life in present day speak as Gamzee does on TV. So reading his logs brings to mind that image, that of gangsters and rappers and juggalos of course, which creates a certain feeling as it counters his goofiness (at least at first). That's the best example I can articulate but it's the same for most other characters. I'm sure there's an equivalent image for most of these in Japanese culture (it looks like you have something good for Gamzee already? I don't really know dialects) Granted the interpretations will probably vary from person to person, but I think they will be mostly the same. Also there are little descriptions from the character introductions that can help in that regard: Karkat: carcinoGeneticist and you speak in a manner that is ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ORNERY, ALL THE TIME. Gamzee: Your trolltag is terminallyCapricious and you speak in a manner that is JuSt A lItTlE bIt WhImSiCaL. Terezi: Your trolltag is gallowsCalibrator and you SP34K W1TH TH3 NUM3R4LS TH3 BL1ND PROPH3TS ONC3 US3D. Sollux: Your trolltag is twinArmageddons and you tend two 2peak wiith a biit of a lii2p. Aradia: Your trolltag is apocalypseArisen and there is typically a pr0n0unced h0ll0wness t0 y0ur w0rds. Nepeta: Your trolltag is arsenicCatnip and :33 < *your sp33ch precedes itself with the face of your lusus who is pawssibly the cutest and purrhaps the bestest kitty you have ever s33n!* Vriska: Your trolltag is arachnidsGrip and your st8ments tend to 8e just a little 8it overdramaaaaaaaatic. Equius: Your trolltag is centaursTesticle and with your bow and arrow ever at the ready, you D --> Take e%ception to 100d language unbefitting of b100 b100ds Kanaya: Your trolltag is grimAuxiliatrix and you Tend To Enunciate Each Word You Speak Very Clearly And Carefully Eridan: Your trolltag is caligulasAquarium and you speak wwith a vvery wweird and sort of wwavvy soundin accent. Feferi: Your trolltag is cuttlefishCuller and you )(ave a )(ard time not getting R-EALLY -EXCIT-ED ABOUT PRACTICALLY -EV-------ERYT)(ING! That was longer wasn't it. Anyway sorry for what I assume is a big stupid wall of text (this comment box is too little to see it). Hopefully I contributed something instead of just blabbing on about things I don't know. :P Also hopefully what I said actually made sense, I have a feeling I didn't manage to express anything well. But whatever! Good job with this project so far, I'm so excited to see it when everything's ready!